My wife and I just got back from an amazing summer vacation to Maui, Hawaii. It's important to take a good vacation
from time to time. It's a great way to recharge and energize. For the coin enthusiast like myself, it's also a great time to
search for neat vacation souvenir coins. What
are vacation souvenir coins? Basically, they're silver art rounds
that you purchase and bring home as a token of your fun vacation.

Well, today I could not be more thrilled. I think I found the ultimate vacation souvenir coin! Maybe it's because I love
Maui, Hawaii so much. Maybe it's because there exists such a variety of these coins. Maybe it's just because I'm obsessed with
coins. What am I talking about? I'm talking about Maui Trade Dollars. Today's Gold Why article is all about my personal Maui
Trade Dollar collection. I'm going to go through my exciting collection that includes eight different Trade Dollars from Maui, Hawaii
- including one pure silver bullion one (pictured to the left) that is one of only 2,500.

What Are Maui Trade Dollars?

So what are these Maui Trade Dollars? Basically, they are a form of currency at participating stores in Maui, Hawaii. Each Trade
Dollar has a face value of either one dollar or two dollars. The earlier years of the Trade Dollars had a one dollar face value with
later years having a two dollar face value. At participating stores in Maui, you can pay with Trade Dollars (they are the same as
currency at participating stores). Of course, they're so beautiful that most people just purchase and keep the Maui Trade Dollars as
souvenirs.

Maui Trade Dollars are produced by the Maui Trade Dollar Association based in Lahaina, Maui. The Trade Dollar Association, who's
Director is Art Olsen, is sponsored by the Maui Chamber of Commerce. The purpose of Trade Dollars? Aside from being amazing souvenirs,
they actually benefit education in Maui. A portion of the proceeds from the sales of these Maui Trade Dollars goes towards education. That's
really cool and makes these collectibles even more fun. Want to contact the Maui Trade Dollar Association? They are located at:
P.O. Box 631
Lahaina, Hawaii
96767-0631

The Maui Trade Dollar Association started producing Trade Dollars in 1992. I have been told that 2011 is the final year of the current series.
That's 20 years of Trade Dollars to collect! Trade Dollars are produced in "cupronickel" (a combination of copper and nickel).
However, there are some very rare ones in pure silver bullion (such as the one pictured at the top of this article). Also, there are some rare
cupronickel trade dollars that are plated in gold. While Maui Trade Dollars are ending production in 2011 (at least I've been told), they are
available at a variety of stores in Maui, Hawaii (even the older years). The best places to purchase trade dollars include the ABC Store (for
current years and for the 2007-2011 set). If you're looking for older years or limited edition coins (such as the silver ones), The Maui
Ocean Center is by far the best place to purchase Maui Trade Dollars. The Maui Ocean Center is a really fun place to visit too (the sea
life is amazing). Here's their address:
Maui Ocean Center
192 Ma'alaea Rd.
Wailuku, HI 96793
808-270-7000

What About Cupronickel?

When I was writing my article about vacation souvenir coins, I gave the advice that you should only collect souvenir coins that are made in
precious metals. Cupronickel is not a precious metal. What gives? Well, I changed my mind. I found so much beauty and greatness in these
Maui Trade Dollars that I just didn't care whether they were silver, gold, or cupronickel. They're all great. So, there you have it - my new
opinion. If you're on vacation, of course go for the silver or gold coins first. However, don't stop there. If you see really cool vacation
souvenir coins that are other metals, seriously consider them if you like them!

My Personal Maui Trade Dollars

So, here's the fun part! What about my personal collection? It's really funny. My wife and I visited Maui, Hawaii in 2010. Back then, my
wife spotted Trade Dollars but I didn't purchase any because they were not made out of precious metals. This year, in 2011, I changed my
mind and went on a buying spree from day one of our trip. At the end of day one, we spotted some Maui Trade Dollars (from 2010 and 2011) at the
ABC Store in Whalers Village.

Later in the trip, we visited the Maui Ocean Center. It's there that I purchased my amazing, limited edition silver bullion Trade Dollar from
2010. I'm so happy I picked up that coin (for only $105). It's one of only 2,500. Can you believe it? Simply amazing! Also, it came in a neat
display case, with a plastic capsule, and a certificate of authenticity. It's really neat that this coin has a serial number on it's outer edge.
Mine says "098". While I was tempted to go back to the Maui Ocean Center, I decided it was best to save some money and wait for our next
trip to Maui.

On our last day, however, I noticed this really neat limited collector's edition set from 2007-2011 at the ABC Store. This set comes with a number
on it (mine says "0675") and a really special display case. I'm a huge fan of all coins I purchased, the silver one and the others. If
you're planning a trip to Maui, I highly, highly recommend buying some Trade Dollars. You will not be disappointed! Also, I have seen some on eBay
recently and will definitely be making some purchases there.

New: My 2014 Maui Trade Dollar Experience

Brand new: I just got back from Maui again. I purchased some really amazing Trade Dollars this time around, and wrote another article (with lots
of pictures) about my experience. Make sure to check out my New Maui Trade Dollar Article.
Also, this article includes a really cool video (I've been doing a lot of YouTube videos lately all about gold, silver, and copper). I love Maui Trade Dollars!
Thanks so much for reading.